Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion / Bachelor of Commerce

Deakin’s Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce combined course allows you to take your commercial knowledge into the fast-growing health sector, or your health expertise into the commercial world. Graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin being the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation. You will also gain a globally recognised commerce qualification and entry into professional commerce careers by learning to solve real commercial challenges alongside industry leaders.

The hands-on experience you will undertake in a health-related agency will equip you with the skills needed to work in a public health or health promotion role. Build a foundation of robust commercial and personal skills and pursue your passions by choosing to major in one of eight specialised areas of commerce. You will graduate ready to tackle a career with great scope in the booming health sector, the business sector or where the two intersect.

Do you want a broad and highly transferable skill set that helps you contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and societies?

This combined course gives you a thorough understanding of the social and environmental factors that cause poor health, as well as those that create and sustain good health. Examine how health is created and influenced in our society, and explore the different approaches for improving the population’s health.

As a graduate, you will be well-prepared for a broad range of career paths – from business, marketing and management roles within the health industry, to health promotion and public health roles within the government, corporate, private and public sectors, including:

community development officer

community engagement officer

health promotion officer

health public relations officer

health researcher

medical marketing manager

partnerships coordinator

project manager

social marketing officer

social planning officer.

You will have opportunities to learn and collaborate with likeminded students in multidisciplinary teams, you will be exposed to both complementary and alternative health streams. You will also develop an understanding of the expertise and roles of different health professionals, many of whom you might find yourself working alongside in your future career.

Career outcomes

As a graduate of this course you may find employment in either of these professional areas and work with groups such as children, adults, the disadvantaged and employees. Knowledge of business and health issues assists with executive management positions within the health industry that have policy development, budget and staff management responsibilities.

As a graduate you may qualify to work in positions such as:

Health Promotion Officer

Community Development Officer

Social Planning Officer

Health Educator

Women’s Health Officer

Health Policy Developer

Planning Officer

Health Researcher

Partnerships Coordinator

Program Evaluator.

You will be prepared for a diverse range of employment areas including but not limited to healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, social inclusion, chronic illness (such as asthma, arthritis, heart disease) and women’s health.

The opportunities available to you will be somewhat dependent on the major sequence you choose to undertake as part of your degree.

The degree is a foundation for Honours and postgraduate study that leads to a research career in public health and/or health promotion or commerce.